Tech Talk-Silver Surfers

Tech Talk-Silver Surfers

Ninety-three-year-old John Cavano (Kah-VAUGH-no) has been using computers for more than a decade. "But I am not the most accomplished computer user. I still consider myself computer illiterate." With the help of his caregiver, though, he Skypes with his family. He's one of the growing number of "silver surfers," seniors learning to use Facebook...even Facetime. Cavano's daughter says being able to "see" her dad is priceless. "My dad's immediate family - we're in 5 states it's so hard, I can't be back to see him like in 10 minutes." But, using the technology, Cavano gets to see them all...his daughter and son, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. "I feel like Grandpa J does more with technology than I do." And that can make a big difference in somebody's well-being. One study shows seniors who surf the Internet can lower their risk of depression by about twenty percent. Another finding shows that seniors using Facebook improve their working memory by about one-quarter. But for Cavano, the ability to visit using technology is also simply...a blessing.